Thursday, July 22, 2010

New Testament in a Year - July 23

July 23~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

King James and other versions... [http://bibleabc.net/bible/kjv/act19-21.htm]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~================================================================================

Paul Plans a Trip21After these things, Paul made plans to go to Jerusalem. Paul planned to go throughthe countries of Macedonia and Achaia, and then go to Jerusalem. Paul thought, "AfterI visit Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome." 22Timothy and Erastus were two of Paul'shelpers. Paul sent them ahead to the country of Macedonia. Paul stayed in Asia* for a while.

Trouble in Ephesus23But during that time, there was some bad trouble in Ephesus. This trouble was about the Way [of Jesus]. This is how it all happened: 24There was a man named Demetrius.He worked with silver. He made little silver models that looked like the temple* of the goddess Artemis.* The men that did this work made much money. 25Demetriushad a meeting with these men and some other men who did the same kind of work. Demetriustold them, "Men, you know that we make much money from our business. 26But look at what this man Paul is doing! Listen to what he is saying! Paul has influenced and changed many people. He has done this in Ephesus and all over the country ofAsia.* Paul says the gods that men make are not real. 27These things that Paul saysmight turn the people against our work. But there is also another problem: Peoplewill begin to think that the temple of the great goddess Artemis is not important!Her greatness will be destroyed. Artemis is the goddess that everyone in Asia andthe whole world worships."

28When the men heard this, they became very angry. They shouted, "Artemis,* the goddess of the city of Ephesus, is great!" 29All the people in the city became upset.The people grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus. (These two men were from Macedonia and were traveling with Paul.) Then all the people ran to the stadium. 30Paul wantedto go in and talk to the people, but the followers [of Jesus] did not let him go.31Also, some leaders of the country were friends of Paul. These leaders sent him a message. They told Paul not to go into the stadium. 32Some people were yellingone thing and other people were yelling other things. The meeting was very confused.Most of the people did not know why they had come there. 33The Jews made a man namedAlexander stand before the people. The people told him what to do. Alexander wavedhis hand because he wanted to explain things to the people. 34But when the peoplesaw that Alexander was a Jew, they all began shouting the same thing. They continuedshouting for two hours. The people said, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis of Ephesus! Great is Artemis ...!" 35Then the city clerk persuaded the peopleto be quiet. He said, "Men of Ephesus, all people know that Ephesus is the city that keeps the temple* of the great goddess Artemis.* All people know that we alsokeep her holy rock.* 36No person can say that this is not true. So you should be quiet. You must stop and think before you do anything. 37You brought these men,*but they have not said anything bad against our goddess. They have not stolen anythingfrom her temple. 38We have courts of law and there are judges. Do Demetrius and those men that work with him have a charge against anyone? They should go to the courts! That is where they can argue with each other! 39Is there something else you want to talk about? Then come to the regular town meeting of the people. It can be decided there. 40I say this because some person might see this trouble todayand say that we are rioting (making trouble). We could not explain all this trouble,because there is no real reason for this meeting." 41After the city clerk said thesethings, he told the people to go home. And all the people left.